Electric shaft-controller



\ (-No Model.)

\ A. W. HART.

ELBUTRIG SHAFT CONTROLLER.

i No. 423,245. Patented Mar, 11, 1890.

IIVVENTOR Jznam M/ ari UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY WV. HART, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SHAFT-CO NTRO LLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,245, dated March11, 1890.

Application filed June 29, 1889. Serial N0. 316,055. (No model.)

shops, and similar places to stop the ma chinery or portions of itthroughout the building from a distancethat is, from the main office,the office of a foreman, or other similar location. This desideratumarises in case of fire, accidents, or irregularity in the working-hours,and from other reasons.

The object of this invention is to provide such a device which shall besimple in construction and efficient in operation.

To this end the invention consists of certain mechanical connectionswith the shafts or pulleys, in combination with an electro-magneticdevice for releasing a latch to allow a .weight or equivalent device toshift the belt or unclutch a pulley, or to throw the belt from thepulley.

The details of the construction will 110w be described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of the device for shifting a belt. Fig. 2 represents a similarView of a device for throwing out a clutch; and Fig. 3 is adetail,partially in section, of the electro-magnetic latch.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a shaft carrying the usual tight andloose pulleys a, a, respectively. The belt 13 is shown upon the tightpulley. This belt is adapted to be shifted onto the loose pulley bymeans of a shifting-bracket O. This bracket is provided at its lower endwith the usual fork for embracing the belt, and at its upper end isformed into a sliding bar 0, which is adapted to slide in two guides orbrackets d. Only one of these guides is shown; but their form is simplythat of the angle irons bolted to the ceiling or any other suitablesupport. Normally the bracket is held in a stationary position by meansof a detent or latch e, which passes through an openingin the guide dand into a notohinjhebarc, The detentor latch c is fixed to the end ofthe pivoted lever e, carrying an armature e of the electro-magnet E.This magnet is located and supported in any suitable position adjacentto the bracket. Its function, when energized, is to tilt the lever a andwithdraw the. detent e from the notch in the sliding bar, thus leavingthe bar and bracket free to be moved. The method which I employ foraccomplishing this movement consists, preferably, of a weight W, whichis suspended by a cord w, passing from a guide-pulley w, and connectedwith the bracket or sliding bar. \Vhen the bar is re leased by themagnet, the weight falls, and, drawing the bracket through the guides,shifts the belt from the tight pulley to the loose one in an obviousmanner.

In Fig. 2 the invention is shown adapted to throw out of gear a clutch.The mechanism is essentially the same as in Fig.1, except the specificdetails necessary for the slightlydifferent operation. Instead of thesliding bracket 0 and its attachments there is used simply a bolt f,which slides in suitable bearings. One end of this bolt is connectedthrough a cord f with one arm of the belt crank lever f which is adaptedto slide one portion of a clutch F upon the shaft when the cord ispulled. The opposite end of the bolt f is connected with the weightWthrough cord 10. Then the circuit is closed, (through theelectro-magnet, in this instance,) the bolt f is released. and theweight swings the bellcrank on the pivots, and thus throws the clutchout of engagement.

The circuit-wires of the magnet may berun to any desired location forinstance, to the main office, to certain places on each floor of thebuilding, or to points adjacent to the ma chinery which the devicecontrols. At the several points push-buttons or other form ofcircuit-closer are to be located. If for any reason it becomes desirableto quickly stop a machine, this may be accomplished by operating thepush-button controlling the circuit of that particular machine.

The apparatus which I have described is possibly somewhat crude, but isonly described to point out one way of accomplishing the object. It isobvious, therefore, that many changes may be made without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. 4

I am aware that the weight will develop more orless friction between thedetent and the sliding bar or bolt; but this may be overcome byproviding a trigger, which, when operated by the magnet, causes a hammeror falling Weight to force the detent out of the notch.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, with thebracket C, provided with belt-shifting fork and sliding bar, of theguides or ways, one of them provided with an opening, a detent passingthrough said opening and adapted to engage with a notch in said slidingbar, an electromagnet adapted to withdraw said detent, and

my seal and signed my name in the presence 0 of two subscribingWitnesses.

ANTHONY WV. HART. [L. s.]

WVitnesses:

RICHARD J USTIOE, JOHN Q. A. XVALDRON.

